Map rendering : from data to image tile :Good practice/Sample codes/Tutorial

Question

Hi folks,

I'm working on a iPhone offline map project. So i would like to generate the tiles directly in the iPhone, and I need to build a fast and efficient algorithm to render the tiles.

Do you know some resources for that ? (I know some frameworks exist, like mapnik, but i need something as simple as possible, and i'll implement the cool stuff afterwards). I don't mind the language as I will re-invent the wheel for this (except if something perfectly fits : objective c with core data, which i doubt...)

I'm really taling about the graphic generation of the tiles from nodes and paths (i use openstreetmap data, but i would'nt mind arranging the structure if necesary, i really need the fastest way to do it.

Thanks

Answer 1

Mapnik uses Cairo, and Cairo can be hardware accelerated with Quartz. I don't know if that would work on an iPhone, but if it did that's certainly the path of least resistance. Map rendering is extremely hard, use a library to do it, do NOT reinvent the wheel in this case.